BALANTONFURED SHIPYARD

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A004600360003-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 10, 2007
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: August 13, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT '~ ?T ~? ??~? L::? ~~? is Qa.C. :. M
and 794
the tnnemloton or
l tl
?
ree
on o[ which in
any manner to an unautborls.d petaon V prohlblted
by law.
25X1
SECRET/COtl'TROL-U.S.OFFICIALS OTTLY
COUNTRY Hungary
SUBJECT Balatonfured Shipyard
REPORT
DATE DISTR. 13 August 1954
NO. OF PAGES
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
1. Location.
Up to September 1953, the Balatonflured Shipyard was located a short distance
from and to the southwest of Balatonf'red, a summer resort on the northwest
bank of lake Balaton. It occupied a site between the bank of the lake and,
the Balatonflred-Tihany highway. To the northeast, northwest and southwest
of the site there were meadows; Lake Balaton was on the southeast. The tele-
phone numbers at the shipyard were 25, 26, and 38.
2. Production,
a. The main products were river barges up to 800 tons, assault boats (or river-
crossing craft), pontoons, and pontoons for pontoon bridges.
b. Sailing boats (5 in. - 75 m.), lifeboats, rowboats, dinghies, and ice yachts
were produced as a side-line.
o. Repairs, primarily on wooden craft.
d. In the first half of 1953 total production was running at a value of about
48 in. forints p.a.
e. Production prior to nationalization of the enterprise was confined to wooden
craft. (Barges, assault boats1and pontoons were not produced until recently.)
f. Priority is given to the production of river barges, assault boatE% and pontoons.
Fjj MIT'
'IRIISSA: '
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R, amo BF THE REIEAS,
 Approved For Release 2007/08/10 : CIA-RDP80-00810A004600360003-2
i
Plates and angle bars from the Oad Iron Works and frcmm the Dios Iron
Works,
Plates from t#e L$rinci Rolling Works, Budapest,
Timber from Furfa (a concern trading in out timber) and Lignimpea (foreign
trade organization which imported tiibe'), and
Welding electrodes from the Rikosi Matyas Trust, Electrodes Factory,
Budapest-Csepel.
be Deficiencies in quality of materials supplied occurred in the case of steel
plates and timber. This was of no consequence, however, because, in the
case of steel products, quality of the materials was considered of little
importance, while in the case of wooden ships, production was mall and no
great importance was attached to the timber being faultless.
4. Customers.
None of the shipyard"s products was exported? howeverybarges were supplied to
Hungarian shipping concerns, assault boats and pontoons to the Hungarian Ingy,
lifeboats to Hungarian shipping concerns and the river police, and sport boats
and repairs for various civil associations, when permitted.
5. Transportation.
a. Incoming materials were transported ey railroad.
be Outgoing products were transported as follows-
(1) Barges were towed across Lake Balaton and down the Sio Canal to the
Danube;
(2) Assault boats and pontoons were collected by any transport, which used
trucks specially designed for the purpose;
(3) Other products were transported by track.
Ia an emergency, incoming materials could be carried by water along the
Sib Canal.
6. Power.
The plant used electric power,, but in an inefficient manner, as the whole ship-
yard was ill equipped and there was little mechanization; power was supplied
from the national g'id. There was no alternative source of power in an emer-
gency. In Balatonfured there was a local power station, which was not operating
in September 1953 and which was not suitable for supplying industrial power.
7. Labor,
The number of employees was 550-600, of wham very few were women. They lived
in either Balatonfflred or the neighboring villages, and traveled to work on
foot or by bicycle.
8. Machin 0
While the machinery and equipment for the production of sailing boats, rowing
boats, etc. was adequate, that for the production of craft made of steel was
out of date. The following machinery was in operation:
as Two or three very old lathes,
be One or two very old milling machines,
c. One planing machine,
SECRET/CONTROL_U.S.OflICIAIj ONLY
 d. Three drilling machines,
e. Fifteen to twenty welding machines,
f. One brand-new joiner shop with all the woodworking machine tools required
for building and repairing wooden ships,
g. Hand tools, drills, riveting hammers, shears, etc.,
h. Three large plate shears of antiquated type,
i. Paint-spraying machines.
Only out-of-date instruments, measuring tools, etc., were in use, as the plant
was very badly equipped in this respect. Internal transport was by hand-
pushed cart and there was no mechanical handling equipment. Ships were launched
and drawn out of the water for repairs by means of a cradle operated by a
winch.
9. There were eight qualityy control inspectors stationed at the plant.
10. There were no bottlenecks at the shipyard,, nor were there any in the past.
11. Security.
There were no special security measures; at night the plant was guarded by
night watchmen and members of the works fire brigade.
12. Organization.
The organization was similar to that of other plants. There were no secret
departments. The interests of the army were taken care of by a person respon-
sible for military products. The enterprise was subordinate to the Ship-
building Trust in the Ministry of Metallurgy and Mechanical Industry.
Legend to Annex A^
1. Balatonfured-Tihany highway.
Entrance gate.
Porter's lodge.
Office building.
5. Canteen and culture room.
6. Machine-tool shop, containing:
(a) On ground floor: Turning shop, smith shop, and locksmith shop
b On 1st floor: Woodworking shop
7. Store for timber and for sports boats in winter. Repairs were also carried
out in this building.
8. Slipway.
9. Building berths for barges, made of concrete.
10. Lake Balaton.
SECRET/CONTROL-U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
 SECRET/CONTROL-U.S.OFFICIALS ONLY
Balatonitired Ship-yard
SECRET/CONTROL-IJ.3.OFF ICIALS ONLY